Where the Crawdads Sing

Marsh is not swamp.

Marsh is a space of light...

where grass grows in water...

and water flows into the sky.

Then within the marsh, here and there...

true swamp.

A swamp knows all about death...

and doesn't necessarily define it as tragedy.

Certainly not a sin.

I thought Chase Andrews would have more common sense.

Best quarterback this town ever had.

Boys, are these your footprints here?

- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.

Where's his footprints?

Yeah, some kids just get crazy ideas in their heads

and drink and think they're invincible.

That Chase Andrews was no kid.

Hey. Look at this.

- He open the grate himself? - Could've been an accident, all the same.

Time of death, between midnight and 2 a.m.

Cause of death, sudden impact from the 63-foot drop.

Since you found that blood and hair on the support beam,

I would deduce that was the cause of the primary injury.

Laymen's terms, he banged the back of his head on the way down.

To hit the back of his head on the beam,

he would've needed to fall backwards, is that right?

- I'd say yes. - So he might have been pushed.

There's no fingerprints on the railing, the grates, nothing.

No fingerprints? Not from Chase either?

No fingerprints, no tracks.

We do have those red fibers found on the jacket.

I just got the lab report back from Atlanta.

They did not come from any of his other clothing.

Wool, it says. That could be a sweater, scarf.

Hell, it could be anything.

And we gotta find it.

A beautiful wife, good family. Can't think of anyone who'd want to kill Chase.

Come on. You know how Chase was.

Tomcattin', ruttin' around like a penned-up bull let out.

Don't speak ill of the dead, Frank.

I'm just saying I could think of a few guys up to it.

- Mr. Milton. - Hi, Sandy.

- The usual? Brunswick stew? - How'd you guess.

What do you make of the Chase Andrews case, Tom?

Oh, I'm retired. That's none of my business anymore.

- Fair enough. - Could've been that woman in the marsh.

She's crazy enough for the loony bin. I bet she'd be up to something like this.

My brother's told me that Marsh Girl's the missing link.

You know poor Chase Andrews had something going on down in that marsh.

Chase Andrews and the Marsh Girl? Now if that ain't asking for trouble.

What do you think really happened, Frank? You think that Marsh Girl killed Chase?

Hell, I don't know. Truth will come out.

Look at all these feathers and whatnot.

She a scientist or a witch?

Miss Clark?

- Sheriff's Department. - Sheriff.

Look.

Could get a warrant.

Plain view. Probable cause, sheriff.

Bet that door isn't even locked.

There she is.

This is the Sheriff'ss Department. Shut down your engine.

Go straight, go straight. Follow her in!

- You're guilty! - You killed Chase Andrews!

- You'll pay for this, Marsh Girl! - Rot in jail!

Sunday Justice. Where you gone, kitty?

Please stay.

Here, kitty, kitty.

Miss Clark?

I'm Tom Milton.

I'm a lawyer. May I come in?

Thank you, Mr. Frazier.

You probably know that you're being held for the murder of Chase Andrews.

And I have taken the liberty of putting myself forward to defend you.

I know you've never been in trouble before,

so I can explain the courtroom and the trial and who is who and whatnot.

Do you have family that you might want to come be with you?

Miss Clark, I don't quite know how to put this, but...

Well, I know you as Catherine Danielle Clark,

but here in Barkley Cove they don't call you by that name.

They call you Marsh Girl.

And when you stand trial,

you will be judged by a jury of your peers

from Barkley Cove, who only know you as such.

They are going to judge you whether they know you or not.

But I can't help you unless I know you.

Even just a little bit.

Well, all right, then.

I'll come back in a while when you've had time to consider.

Oh, and I brought you this just in the meantime.

Mr. Frazier.

People forget about the creatures who live in shells.

I had a family once.

They called me Kya.

Kya!

Kya! You'd better not get too far out.

Get it, get it!

Now this little piggy went to market.

Now you hold still.

This little piggy stayed home.

This little piggy ate roast beef.

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy went wee-wee-wee-wee all the way home.

That's my special girl.

Hey, Jodie!

Hey, Tate!

Wanna come fishing?

- I ain't got too much time. - "Ain't" isn't a real word.

Hey, how many times I told you not to mess in my goddamn boat?!

Get in the house! Are you stupid?!

Come here! Now you've done it.

You gotta learn respect. You hear me?

- Stop it! You're hurting her! - Hey, you leave my pa alone!

Come back on my land, I'll shoot you! You hear me?!

- Calm down now. - Shut up!

Shut up!

- Leave me alone! - I'll show you!

Please just stop!

Ma!

Ma?

Ma never came back.

And everybody else was quick to get out the same way.

Murph was the first to leave.

A few months later, Mandy and Missy.

Then, finally, Jodie.

Kya.

Kya, listen.

I have to go, Kya. I can't live here no longer.

Kya, you be careful, hear?

If you're in trouble,

run and hide deep in the marsh way out where the crawdads sing.

Like Ma always says.

Run!

Jodie!

I learned from the mistakes of the others how to live with him.

Just keep out of the way.

Don't let him see you.

Fend for yourself.

I had been out in the marsh plenty of times with Jodie, but never alone.

I didn't know which way was home.

Damn you for leaving me here, Jodie!

Damn you.

You okay?

You're Jodie Clark's sister.

Used to be. He's gone.

- You know your way home? - Yeah.

It's okay. I get lost all the time.

My name's Tate, in case you see me again.

Tate.

There was something about that boy that eased the tightness in my chest.

For the first time since Ma and Jodie left, I felt something other than hurt.

I felt brave.

I'm hungry.

Morning, Mr. Clark. How you doing?

Well, Jumpin', I woke up on the right side of dirt.

Oh, this is my daughter, Miss Kya Clark.

Well, I'm mighty proud to know you, Miss Kya.

Oh, don't mind her. I tell her stay away from everybody.

- It's a dangerous world, isn't it? - It is. But the fishing's good.

Could I get a bag of grits?

And some of that Jim Beam?

- And maybe you fill her up for me? - It's okay.

Mabel.

You wait for our change, you hear?

Helping out your pa while your ma's gone, huh?

I ain't seen her in a while.

She's doing chores at home.

Grits ain't much to go on.

All right. Let's see here.

Your pa left $2 here.

And the bill is $1 .50.

How much does that leave for gas?

Don't worry about that.

I got another question for you.

You go to school, honey?

Do you know that they publish the school lunch menu in the paper?

Today's is...

Salisbury steak.

You could get a nice, hot meal, make some friends.

Plenty of kids go to school without shoes.

But you will need a skirt.

Ask your mama for one.

There you go.

And the change is 50 cents.

Boys!

Chase Andrews, what you got to say for yourself?

Sorry, Miss Pansy.

We didn't see you 'cause that girl got in the way.

Hello there.

I think you've got yourself turned around the wrong way, little lady.

Isn't school that way?

- So dirty. - Gross.

You have just as much of a right to be there.

Go along now. It's all right.

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark, are you reading and writing already?

Can you spell "dog," honey?

Who is that?

G-O-D.

Well, we can all use practice, can't we?

You can go ahead and sit down, Miss Catherine Danielle Clark.